How to refer patients
Resources for outpatient referrals
If you are a physician or health care professional looking to refer a patient for outpatient care in either Madison, Wis., or northern Illinois, please refer to the information below.
Note: For urgent referrals, please call the appropriate UW Health specialty clinic directly to schedule an appointment.
The Access Center
For acute patient care needs and transfer to Madison facilities
The Access Center is for referring providers to arrange for patient transfer or admission to a hospital in Madison, Wis. If you are trying to reach a clinic, schedule an appointment or locate a current patient, please refer to the information above on referring patients for outpatient services.
The Access Center is staffed 24/7 by a team of professionals who can assist and coordinate:
Urgent and/or emergent transfers and admissions for adult, pediatric or neonatal patients
Requests for transport by Med Flight helicopter or ambulance
Peer-to-peer discussion between referring providers and specialty staff regarding aspects of a case
These case discussions do not establish a patient-provider relationship with your patient.
Formal consultations are outside the scope of the Access Center but are available upon request. If requested, please call the specialty clinic directly.
To contact the Access Center, call (608) 263-3260 or (800) 472-0111
When you call, please be prepared to:
Press the appropriate number to be connected properly.
Provide the following information to the Access Center nurse:
Name of your facility and mailing address
Patient's name, date of birth and vital signs
Brief condition description
Referring physician's name/contact
Share any healthcare Power of Attorney (if applicable)
Fax the patient's facesheet, and EKG, if available to (608) 265-0759
Push relevant images to the PACS indicated by the Access Center nurse
Clinical outreach
Resources for connecting with UW Health physicians
In Wisconsin
Provider Relations
Provider Relations is a hospital-based advocate for referring providers, their staff, referral coordinators and health plan staff.
Our coordinator is available to assist with:
Navigating the UW Health system and services, including communication, access issues, problems or complaint resolution
Referrals, including referrals to multiple specialties and coordination of timely appointments to meet your needs and the needs of your patients
Additional assistance includes providing:
Information about UW Health providers, specialty clinics, procedures and any information needed to access the services available
Clinical reports and resource information
In Illinois
For assistance with northern Illinois, please call (779) 696-7081.
Physician liaisons
Physician liaisons are available to facilitate communication and handle referral concerns between regional physicians and UW Health consultants.
For contact information to to view a map of the services: Physician liaison territories (pdf)
Physician liaisons additionally assist with relationship-building activities such as arranging speaking engagements for medical staff meetings, UW Health physician visits to community physician offices or visits to University Hospital, East Madison Hospital, American Family Children's Hospital in Madison, Wis., or SwedishAmerican Hospital in Rockford, Ill.
CCKM
Center for Clinical Knowledge Management
The Center for Clinical Knowledge Management (CCKM) evaluates and organizes evidence to drive clinical decisions that promote efficiency, consistency and quality throughout UW Health.
Image and record sharing
Resources for sharing the information necessary for your patient's care
Telemedicine programs
Safe, efficient and effective care
UW Health offers telemedicine capabilities to deliver safe, efficient and effective care to all the communities and patients we serve.
Resources
Helpful resources
Employment and training